Acrylic, gouache, and watercolour pencil on raw canvas 48 × 48 in | 2025
Saint Anne's Lap after da Vinci is part of the Feminine Antiquity series. The work draws upon Leonardo da Vinci's Burlington House Cartoon, The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist.
In this reimagining, Saint Anne herself is absent; only the structure of her lap remains. At the centre of the painting, a raised circular field emphasizes the lap as the surrounding fabric folds away from it. A spiral extends from the root of the body into this central form. Around the larger circle, subtle elements of a kernos (an ancient vessel used to hold offerings) emerge through the painted layers.
Saint Anne's absence considers the often-unrecognized presence of women in the lives of others. It hints at the ways their care, labour and constancy become the foundation upon which other lives are built, even as the women themselves often fade from view.
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Currently held for exhibition. Inquiries welcome.
If this work resonates with you, I would be delighted to hear from you.
